A Mind Broken
by Ink-Dash
Summary: Not long after the events of My Little Dashie the Mini Movie by StormXF3, an event in Equestria requires the main six to return to Earth. Rainbow Dash, not remembering the years she spent there, begins to exhibit terrible symptoms of unknown cause. Twilight has to try to fix the issue in Equestria while keeping Rainbow Dash safe from catastrophic effects.
1. Foreword

FICTION K+ UNVERIFIED Some content may not be suitable for young children.

Foreword

I began writing this as a sort of a way to get over what I felt after watching 'My Little Dashie: The Mini Movie' by StormXF3. He and the people he worked with did an amazing job of making it feel so real and connected, it's the first thing to make me tear up emotionally in years. Now it's a hobby of mine to keep myself connected with the ponies that I enjoy so much. All of the credit on my beginning this goes to amazing creators of 'My Little Dashie.' Thank you so much for what you did, and keep up the good work.

P.S. Based on that, you can probably guess it's a good idea to watch said movie before reading this.

It's about half an hour long, and the full effect in my opinion is really gained by watching in one sitting. Enjoy!

Disclaimer: I do not own rights to 'My Little Dashie: The Mini Movie' or 'My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic,' or any related franchise.


	2. Part One

It's been 3 years since Celestia and the other ponies came to take Dashie back to Equestria. I haven't touched her room in all the years she's been gone, as if preserving it will somehow help me remember. But I know that even when I'm old, and my memory begins to fail me, I can never forget that little filly that changed me back into the man I once was. I've begun to retreat back into that old shell of mine, but now it's not so tough, and it houses a soft core. Losing Dash, losing someone else that I loved changed me again, much in the same way as before. It had been a once in a lifetime - no... once in a generation chance.

So it came as a massive shock to him when he received a knock on my front door, and opened it to find Twilight Sparkle standing on his doorstep. Not just Twilight, mind you, the entire Mane Six. Of course, this included his little Dashie, and though she wouldn't know why, it brought him massive joy to see her again. Which is why it surprised him when she clearly had arrived here on purpose. She had no recognition in her eyes, but by the look of her, this is where she wanted to be. He realized he was just standing there, and waved them inside. He also realized that it was suddenly raining, and after they had all settled down, Rainbow looked rather antsy. Understandably he supposed, considering she probably wanted to go and bust the rain clouds. As Rarity took a seat on the carpet, Jack realized she was drenched, having been standing in the back of the group, out of the cover of the awning. She looked dismally upset, so he ran to grab a towel from the kitchen so she could dry herself off. When he came back she looked surprised. When he offered her the towel, she became even more so. When I asked why, she said, "I didn't expect such kindness from the person that we-" Twilight jabbed Rarity's hind leg using hers, silencing her. Rarity took a moment, and tried again. "from a person we've never met." Jack realized that Rainbow must have no idea she or her friends had been there before, and it could get awkward if she found out her friends had used a memory spell on her. Rarity took the towel and, using her magic, used it to dry herself. She levitated it back over to the counter, and it plopped back down unceremoniously, with a small squelch. Fluttershy was looking out the window at two birds fighting over space on a covered branch, and he could tell it pained her to not do anything about it. Twilight had clearly told them that they couldn't manipulate this world more than they needed to. When everyone seemed to have settled down enough, Twilight began to speak. "Sir, due to err- unforeseen circumstances in Equestria, we've been required to leave it. We've come to your dwelling because…" her eyes strayed to Rainbow Dash. "…you're the, err- closest person to… where we crossed over." She was clearly holding something back, whether for Rainbow Dash or for him. Not to mention they probably had a choice on where to cross over. Or to just not associate with humans. "Listen, I'll just get to the point... ahh... I can't just call you sir all the time. What's your name?"

(It's around here I realized we never actually learned the main character's name. I'll be using Jack for now in order to keep my sanity.)

"Jack," he said.

"Okay, Jack. We need to stay here until I can come up with a - ahh, solution to, err- our issue." Now she was definitely hiding something. She never was good at lying, even by omission.

"Just you? What is everyone else doing here?"

"Oh, I um… haven't really thought about that. But yes, just me. I'm there only one with the expertise for this level of magic." Don't suppose you'll be saying what level, I thought. "But we're all smart ponies, err, beings here. I'm sure you'll figure something out. Do you have somewhere We can stay here?" He realized that the only free room was Rainbow Dash's old one. "Give me a few minutes, and I'll have somewhere for all of you, at least until I can figure something else out. It'll be a bit cramped. Wait here." Jack went up to the room, but when he walked in, he was moved to somewhere, somewhen else entirely. Jack thought of the years he spent with Rainbow, raising her. He shook his head. It was all he could do to not just stand there for hours, reliving every moment. But in that moment, Jack realized he couldn't, just couldn't touch that room. So instead he closed the door, and locked it. He went into his room, and rearranged it to house 6 ponies. Looks like I'll be sleeping on the couch. Again. He didn't let myself be drawn into my thoughts a second time.

He planned to grab some sleeping bags and such from the closet downstairs before bedtime. He was sure the carpet would probably be enough for them, but it wouldn't feel right. He went back down to lead them to their new room, and found the ponies crowded around Rainbow Dash in the armchair. Dash was shaking violently, and her eyes were blankly staring into the distance. Twilight's horn was glowing, and Fluttershy was hovering over the back of the armchair, massaging Rainbow Dash's shoulders. He asked what was going on, and Rarity turned to answer me.

"Dashie has started having a seizure of sorts. Twilight says it's sort of a mental one rather than physical." She paused and looked back at Rainbow, who was beginning to become still again. "Twilight can probably explain more," she said, turning back to me for a moment. Rainbow was now completely still, breathing so lightly it seemed like she wasn't. Suddenly, in one shuddering breath, she slumped over forward, and would have fallen on Twilight if she hadn't put up a barrier to catch her. Jack saw they probably had it under control, so he figured he'd fetch something for them to eat. He could ask about Dash while they ate. They'd need food by now. In the kitchen, all he found that the ponies might eat were the apples he had on the counter, and a bag of granola. He figured that would do well enough, and split the granola on to six plates. Jack washed and placed an apple on each, and balanced them precariously on my arms to take them into the living room. When he arrived, everypony had settled down, and eyed the food hungrily. Twilight and Rarity both took theirs by magic, and Fluttershy flew up to take hers, as did Rainbow, so it seemed like she was fine again. That left two plates, one in each hand. Jack put them down in front of Applejack and Pinkie Pie. Pinkie devoured everything in seconds, and everypony else began to thoughtfully munch on the granola. Twilight stopped eating for a moment, and said, "Jack, thanks for this. I appreciate what you've done after we kind of just barged in here. I-" A bit of apple hit her in the muzzle, and everyone turned to Applejack, who had just spit the offending bit out.

"Sorry Twi," she apologized. "There's just something off about this here apple." She held up the perfectly normal seeming apple. He hoped that he hadn't managed to give anypony a rotten apple. He had just bought them yesterday. The supermarket would be receiving a heavily worded letter in such a case. To see, he asked for the apple.

"May I?" he said as he picked it up.

"If you want go right ahead, but I'll still blame ya'll if it gets spit on somepony," she replied. Jack took a bite out of the apple, and it seemed fine. Nothing looked off, and he began to think about what it could have been. Twilight hesitantly took a bite of her apple, and looked like she nearly lost her oats. Rarity went to bite hers, but he intervened before anyone actually got sick.

"Stop! No one else eat these apples!" Jack said. I don't think they know the definition of insanity. "Twilight, do you think you could devise a way to detect what's causing your aversion to these apples? Her throat bulged as she swallowed the apple she had bitten off. She made the face of pure disgust, and when her stomach apparently finally settled, she nodded.

"I'll just try a basic poison detection spell first." She pointed her horn at her apple, and after only a second or two of magic casting, she recoiled from the offending fruit. "This is laced with dozens of poisons!" She said. Everypony was surprised, especially Pinkie Pie, who said,

"I didn't notice anything odd about mine!"

"Pinkie," Rainbow Dash began, "no offense, but you'll eat just about anything."

"It's true!" Pinkie said grinning, completely unfazed.

No matter how brightly colored and friendly ponies look, having six staring at you in suspicion is incredibly intimidating. Well, really only five, since Pinkie wasn't quite suspicious looking, kind of just a neutral face. Even so, she was still smiling, even if it was just the corners of her mouth. It was then he realized something, in Equestria the apples came straight from the trees, but we process and grow them with so many chemicals and such that it must be super obvious to the ponies.

"It's not poison!" He said, "here we use certain, uh, substances," He had to figure out how to make it understandable. Very few ponies practiced proper science, if the show was anything to go by. "- to preserve them to get from the farms to the stores where people buy them. Clearly you're more used to all-natural apples. I can promise there's nothing that's harmful, at least not directly."

"Discord wasn't directly harmful, look what he nearly did!" Rainbow Dash, not entirely untruly said. "No offense to him, I know he's changed," she added with a glance, after remembering Fluttershy was there.

"Trust me, I'd eat any of these apples," Jack said. Hoping there's not actually something wrong, I thought.

"Okay, we'll believe you," Twilight said, hoping everypony would. "But there's something I've read about, where if you don't eat fruit, you can get very sick. It's commonly called scurvy. If we can't eat apples here, what if we get it?" Even if scurvy wasn't the most accurate word, she had a point. They would definitely become ill without any fruit.

"I have an idea," he said. "There's a farmer's market in town over every weekend. Here, they're considered famous for having less or no preserving, or otherwise used substances. I'll get some apples there every week."

Everypony seemed content enough with the solution, especially Applejack. Her eyes twinkled, and he figured out pretty quickly why. He also remembered that he had completely forgotten to ask about Dash's seizure.


	3. Part Two

The next day, he woke up with cramps in more places than I could count. It'd been awhile since he had to sleep on the couch, and he had only gotten older. He couldn't figure out what had woken him up, until he noticed the thuds from upstairs. He heard muffled cries, and rushed up the stairs as quickly as possible. The thuds had continued, and he still couldn't figure out what it could be. As he neared the the ponies' new bedroom, the thuds had stopped, but he could still hear grunts and indistinct cries from beyond the door. He opened the door, and found Twilight and Rarity doing their best to magically restrain a violent Rainbow Dash, a blending blue and purple aura surrounding her. Applejack lay on the floor, with Fluttershy trying to tend to her. Applejack kept shooing her away, insisting she was fine. They seemed to have a handle on it, so he stood in the doorway until Rainbow settled down. Turned out it wasn't going to be gradual, one moment she was trying her best to free herself, the next she just slumped over, asleep. A few moments later, the wary unicorns relinquished their hold, and after another few moments, she woke up. Now she seemed fine, but confused at the scene before her. After no pony doing anything for a few moments, it seemed like the whole scene was frozen. Applejack was now sitting, with Fluttershy standing next to her, Twilight and Rarity had moved to either side of Rainbow Dash from their respective positions behind her. They eyed her warily, as did Fluttershy. Applejack's face was that of pain, and a hint of betrayal. The kind of look you have when someone does something they never would, and you don't want to believe they meant to. Pinkie was the first to break the icy stillness, obviously. He hadn't actually realized she was there, until she hopped out from behind Fluttershy. He had no clue how I hadn't noticed the curly pink extensions to Fluttershy's mane. She bounced right in front of Rainbow Dash, and started shouting at her.

"What are you thinking Dash! Applejack is your friend! What is going through your head!"

Dash looked confused, and somewhat scared. "Wah? I- I don't know what you're talking about!"

Pinkie wasn't taking it. "You just jumped Applejack and wouldn't stop trying to hit her! Celestia knows she's lucky she can defend herself!" Seeing Pinkie Pie, the normally carefree and happy pink pony acting so unlike herself was unsettling. Jack felt like it was about time I did something in the situation.

"Pinkie Pie, please, calm down. I'd like to talk to Dash," he said. Pinkie turned to me, somehow without a trace of anger, after being so violently mad just a moment earlier.

"Okay!" She said, already, in fact, smiling again. Pinkie is very peculiar, he thought. He kneeled in front of Rainbow Dash. "Dash, do you know what just happened?" He could already pretty easily tell she didn't by her expression, but he wanted to make sure. She nodded. "That's what I thought. Twilight," Jack said turning towards her, " Rarity told me yesterday that Dash had what you called a 'mental seizure'. Is it possible that another one could have caused her to do this?" Twilight was thoughtful, and after a moment she replied, "I suppose so. I've thought about it, and I don't think that it's a condition that caused Dash's seizure yesterday. If my suspicions are correct, Rainbow Dash could be in serious trouble. The only way I can know for sure is to directly test her brain. It shouldn't cause any damage, but it could trigger another seizure. Of course of its something else causing this, a number of things could happen."

"Well how sure are you that you're correct?" Jack asked.

"Pretty sure," she replied.

"Dash, are you okay with this?" Jack asked her.

"Yeah." She still seemed pretty shaken up.

"Okay, this might tingle a bit," Twilight said, her horn beginning to glow. Rainbow was fine for the first few moments, but after a bit her eyes began to drift apart, until they were facing completely different directions. Pinkie Pie laughed.

"Tee-hee, she looks like Derpy Hooves!" Dash's eyes snapped back into place, and her ear began to twitch. After a moment, it stopped and the other started. After another, both stopped. Then her lips began to twitch, eventually stopping at a small smile. The smile faded, being replaced by a frown. Her eyes seemed like they were glistening, as if she were tearing up. Suddenly, all emotion disappeared. Twilight's horn stopped glowing.

"Okay. I'm done. It seems-" she stopped as Rainbow Dash suddenly shook her head violently and looked around, confused. "What's wrong Dash?" she asked.

"How did I get outside? Where am I?" Dash was shaken. She clearly was not seeing reality.

"Dash, what are you seeing right now?" Twilight asked.

"I'm in a clearing, It's surrounded by trees, but, there's a human here. With, me? Only I'm younger, by maybe 5 or so years. But this is the first time I've been here, how could this be real?"

"Oh no…" Twilight's face was stricken. She turned to the rest. "I must have connected her memories to her vision somehow, she can't be allowed to see this!" Her horn began glowing with the ferocity of a fire, and instantly Dash's eyes widened, pupils shrinking, and her ears laid back. In only moments, Twilight's horn stopped glowing and Dash returned to normal, apparently fine this time. That is other than her immediately putting a hoof to her forehead.

"Oh Celestia, that hurts!" Twilight looked kind of embarrassed.

"I may have been a bit too quick that time… let me try to get rid of that headache." She lowered her horn, but before she began, Dash put her other hoof on her horn.

"No! I mean, thanks, but no thanks. It's fine. No offense, but you've done enough." Twilight sighed.

"If you say so. But Dash, how much do you remember of what you saw?"

"What I saw?"

"Yeah, you know, in the field?"

"What field? I haven't left here since yesterday." Rainbow Dash wasn't kidding if her expression was anything to go by, she looked as confused as Twilight.

"Nevermind Dash. Don't worry about it," Twilight said. She looked relieved, probably that Dash remembered nothing of her memory. "Anyway, I was right. Dash could be in serious trouble, but unless certain triggers come into play she'll be fine. It would take an incredibly strong trigger, of which there may only be one or two, to cause any permanent damage anyway." Glad the whole ordeal was over, Jack suggested they had breakfast. Everyone heartily agreed.

At breakfast (which consisted of more oats), no pony, or human talked about what had happened. It was probably best, since Dash seemed to have no clue what happened. Bringing it up could just end with somepony revealing something they'd rather not come out. It still didn't feel right seeing Dashie like this, not having the memories he did. He wished they could be as close as they were again, but it could be hazardous to Rainbow's health from the sounds of it. Speaking of, he was still confused as to what exactly was causing Dash to have these, he supposed seizure didn't quite cover all the things she's been exhibiting. Twilight will have a name for it, If I know anything about her, he thought. I'll try to talk to her alone after breakfast. Luckily his diet wasn't restricted to apple based products and oats. He had some toast and an egg. The egg had greatly bothered Fluttershy until he explained that there was no longer a chick in the egg. Luckily, she didn't ask any more questions. He hadn't looked forward to answering where the chick had gone.

While everyone ate, Applejack proposed an idea to Jack. "So, you said there's a farmer's market every weekend? Well, I can't help but realize y'all now have to provide for six extra mouths, and I'm imaginin' that ain't cheap here." He couldn't argue with that, together they went through a whole bag of granola every meal. He was just glad there had been a great sale at the supermarket.

"True. So?"

"Well, I've been thinkin' since you mentioned it, and it sounds like a good way to make some extra money, if you have something to sell." She said it with a kind of verbal wink, and Jack could see what she was getting at.

"So you want to sell something there."

"Well, not in person obviously, but I can help produce if y'all sell it."

"It's a great idea, but I can't help but notice we have no source of crops, and it can take years for the first harvest. I don't see you sticking around that long." Applejack looked at Twilight, who looked concerned. Twilight reluctantly nodded, and he began to predict what was coming next.

"Well sugarcube, we may just be here a couple of years." Even if he had already guessed what she was going to say, it still surprised him.

"Years? What on Earth could need you to stay away that long?"

"More like what in Equestria," Twilight said.

"Point taken, but really, I can't imagine what could take years to correct."

"I'd rather not talk about it now." Jack could see pain in her eyes, and guessed that whatever it was had taken some sort of personal toll. Whatever the reason, Jack didn't want to pry.

"Okay then. But there's any way for me to help, all you have to do is ask." Twilight just nodded.

After everyone was done, Rainbow Dash jumped up and began to pump her wings down, but then her wings contorted on the way down and she let out a small squeak of pain. It was oddly adorable, or would have been if it weren't for what had been happening to her. Everyone turned to her immediately, ready to take action whatever way they could if she began another breakdown. When she just strenuously tried to stretch her wings, everyone was relieved. Somepony let out a small sigh, drawing Dash's attention away from her wings. When she noticed everyone staring at her, she put her wings down and said, "What? I have a cramp. It happens of you don't use your wings for a day or two." I'd at least expect you to know that Flutters." Fluttershy just looked away.

"I do reckon we could all use some fresh air," Applejack began. "You know of any place we can go where we won't be seen?" Jack didn't have to think long.

"There's the field where we-" Jack saw everypony's eyes begin to widen, excluding Dash's. Twilight, standing behind her, vigorously shook her head. He feigned a coughing fit. "Excuse me. Where I used to play as a kid."

"Sounds good to me," Dash said. "I just hope nothing happens to it, I'm gonna need to fly properly every day to keep my wings in shape." Jack thought about how he and Dash used to go there everyday, the field where she performed her first

Sonic Rainboom. "Uh, Jack?" Rainbow's voice cut through his thoughts. He realized he was just standing there with a blank stare on his face. He shook his head.

"Okay then. Is everypony ready now?" They replied with vigor, Applejack rearing up and whinnying, Pinkie jumping up and down, Dash thrusting a hoof into the air, Fluttershy managing her best reaction, an adorably quiet 'ahhhhhhh!', and Rarity uttering 'a divine idea!'.

"I think we just might be ready, Jack," Twilight said, with a smile.


	4. Part Three

It's finally here! The long awaited third part is ready for reading! Now, I'm trying to make a few references in this story, but this one may be a bit on the nose. Tell me your thoughts, because it's why it took so long for me to post this. Enjoy!

They set out pretty much right afterwards. Not many people lived nearby, so there wasn't much risk of being seen. It was Sunday, so Jack didn't have to work. Tomorrow would be a different story, and he needed to go to the farmers market later. He was only a little worried, he had complete confidence in the ponies, and just hoped Twilight could keep them from being too much of... themselves. But he couldn't worry about that now, they were here to have fun. They were here. "Okay everyone, go wild!"

"Race you to that rock Applejack!" Rainbow Dash said.

"Yer on!" Applejack called back. They ran toward a large boulder in the center of the clearing, one pony gaining a lead, and then falling back behind as the other sped up. Fluttershy stretched her wings and said something to Twilight Sparkle, who nodded. They took off and flew towards a small clear area on the edge of the field that was shaded by the trees. Rarity found a shaded spot to lie down in not far from Jack, and Pinkie Pie galloped after the two racing ponies, shouting "Go Rainbow Dash! Go Applejack! Go Rainbow Dash!" every time that one pulled into the lead. He wasn't worried, since the clearing was far from anyone that would hear her. Naturally, he had expected her loud nature. Not, the only being to have not found something to do was him. It seemed like Rainbow Dash and Applejack were having another competition, and would probably continue until they collapsed from exhaustion. Pinkie Pie was either cheering or keeping score, either way she was being her usual loud and cheerful self. Rarity was sleeping, and he didn't want to bother her. Twilight and Fluttershy just seemed to be chatting, so he figured he'd see if maybe he could join them. Maybe Twilight would feel comfortable talking about their issue back home with Fluttershy there. She had that effect on ponies, and people. As he approached, the two friends started to wave him over. They didn't look happy, but they didn't look sad either. Fluttershy patted the grass between her and Twilight, inviting him to sit down. He did, and nopony talked for a moment. Fluttershy nodded to Twilight, who nodded back.

"Jack, we've talked, and I've decided it's only fair that if you're going to let us all stay with you and provide for us, that you know why we're here," Twilight said.

"If you don't want to talk about it, you don't have to," Jack assured her.

"No, no. You should know. It's only right," Twilight replied. "It all started when a deranged scientist started believing that everyone was infested with some parasite. He became determined to find a way to cure everyone. He experimented with a bunch of different gasses, hundreds of complex combinations of elements. Twilight began to remember encountering the doctor personally.

" _Doctor?"_

" _Finally…"_

" _Doctor, what are-"_

" _Finally it's done! IT'S FINALLY DONE!" The doctor laughed hysterically._

" _No, no, you don't mean that insane gas of yours is actually ready?"_

" _Ready? It's more than ready! It's REARING! Every cloud of this concoction is home to millions of teeny-tiny bugs! I found them while trying another mix, and I used my skills to make them do what I wanted… Now they target and destroy the insides of the parasites!"_

" _You're mad!" Twilight ran to the intercom. Dozens of ponies in the facility heard the her desperate plea._

" _Stop him!, he's trying to kill us all! Stop him!_

" _No, no! I'm going to save you all! DON'T YOU TRY TO STOP ME!" She never turned the microphone off, and so everypony heard the deranged doctor's claim. He then ran at Twilight, knocking her into the intercom and turning it off. She teleported away, into the hallway outside. He turned the intercom back on, as well as the connection to the TVs throughout the facility. His face and voice were broadcast through the whole building. He hit a button on a panel, sealing the room with thick metal doors and a magical barrier. "This is your redemption day everypony!" Twilight attempted to bust down the door. "Go away from me! Stay away from me! Go awayhahaha!" His speech broke into cackling, maniacal laughter. "You can't touch me now!"_

" _Stop this! You're mad!" She shouted through the thick observation windows._

" _You see this button here?" He flipped up a clear plastic cover, and hovered a hoof over a bright red button. "I'M GONNA PRESS IT!" he screamed, slamming his hoof down, and a loud clanking could be heard throughout the facility as his gas swarmed through pipes, draining into the the open air outside._

" _No!" Twilight shouted, quickly teleporting to her house. "Spike, Owlicious, where are you!"_

" _Here Twilight!" Spike said, Owlicious following him through a doorway._

" _You need to leave, now. Grab what you can, I'll teleport you to Canterlot."_

" _You can do that? What in tartarus is going on!"_

" _Just go, there's no time! The princesses should be able to shield Canterlot from the gas."_

" _Wait, the gas your deranged friend was working on?"_

" _Yes, just go!" Twilight panicked, and her horn started to glow as she prepared to send her assistant and pet right then. Adrenaline allowed her to muster the tremendous strength it took to simultaneously lower the castle's magical barrier, as well as send two beings there._

" _Twilight! I-" Spike started to say before he disappeared in a flash of purple magic. Twilight immediately teleported to each of her friends, and once she had them all, she used the only spell she knew to make absolutely sure they were safe, the same one she had used to retrieve Rainbow Dash._

"He… he unleashed his finished product, a gas made of clouds he claimed were millions of tiny bugs that would feed on and eradicate the parasites. Of course, without their food existing, they fed on the next closest thing, their supposed hosts. I had no clue how far it could spread, so I did the only thing I could to ensure the elements would be safe. I sent us here, so we could figure out a spell to destroy the gas." Jack was shocked. He had never imagined that anypony had the sort of knowledge to create something like that. With magic, sure. But scientifically, he didn't think they had that ability. Strangely, a song he had heard once started creeping into his head. _I can't remember… that's the first lyric. But , well... I can't remember the rest._

"I was the only pony in a position to stop him." Twilight continued. "But I panicked, and I couldn't put my thoughts together to get back in." A tear rolled down her cheek. "Now everypony is probably dead or dying. Because I couldn't keep my head." She started crying, laying her head between her hooves. Fluttershy got up to sit next to her, whispering soothing words into her ear. Jack was hesitant, but he felt bad just sitting there when she was like this.

"Twilight, even if you had gotten in, who says he wouldn't hit the button right then and there? No matter what you did, there are so many ways he still could have done this. If not then, some other time. When no one was there to stop him." Twilight's head shot up, her face twisted into an angry grimace.

"But I would have made sure I _was_ there! No matter when, where, or how, I would stop him!" Twilight became enraged in her grief. "He should be sent to Tartarus for what he's done! Actually? Tartarus is too kind. When I stop him, I'll personally find a place, deeper than Tartarus, where he'll _rot_ for what he's done!" Fluttershy's eyes were wide, she had never seen her friend like this. "And when all that's left is bones, I'll trap his spirit there, until it disappears because no one remembers him. But it will sit in torment for centuries, because I'll never forget for as long as I live, and I won't die for millennia!" She sat staring, her breathing heavy with anger. Slowly, her face melted into a waterfall of tears.

"Twilight, this isn't you. You need to-" he stopped in surprise when she suddenly disappeared in a burst of purple magic. Jack and Fluttershy quickly stood up, trying to spot where she had gone. She was nowhere to be seen, and they began to worry.

"She doesn't know this world well," Fluttershy said. "What if she teleported over a cliff, or into a raging river!" she squeaked.

"Well, we can't know where she is, but I know she can look after herself," Jack said. "She's a princess, after all." Fluttershy nodded meekly.

"I hope she comes back soon," she said.

"Me too."


End file.
